BEACON
by HybridCyborgSoldier
Summary: The sequel to SIGNAL. L is back, she is alive, but has lost her memory. Her return to her family is difficult as she has to relearn everything while reveal a treacherous plot and locked past.
1. Reveille

**Reveille**

The dark, ice plain didn't reveal much, but the maw of the explosion bore in deeply. Not a living thing stirred... oh, never-mind.

Signal moaned when she awoke. Grasping her head from the fiery pain that quickly ensued, "Ratchet... What happened?" Her reply was the fierce wind, as she studied the darkness searching.

"Ratchet?... Ironhide? Da- Prime?" She cried, catching herself from saying 'Daddy.' Then it smacked her hard in the face, the explosion; and the last words of Gordonvich, "Return to your Master..."

She still didn't understand, but she got a good feel of her new body. Small flaps on the back of her shoulders with longer ones lower down; she felt how the longer ones would spread out, then close like butterfly wings. She used her hands to feel along her helmet; antennae freely moving out of her way as she brushed the two side panels, coming across one that fit snuggly under the helmet. She could feel the warm beat of her spark, nothing like her old organic heart. It seemed to pulse an electrical charge to each beat, feeling the charge go throughout her body. The wind blew again, snapping her back into the situation. "Ratchet said that no one would last very long in this... not even a Cybertronian... I think..." She stared up to the stars above, "I want to go to the moon... but how am I going to get out of here?" In response her calves widened, feet spreading as the two jet engines roared on.

"Oh sweet I can _fly_!" She jumped up, engines blasting her up higher as a visor and facemask enclosed her face. "Woohoo!" She screamed out, spinning around as she practiced her wing movements. She didn't waste much time as she flew upward, determined to break through the Earth's atmosphere to examine the one thing she always wanted to see, the moon landing.

Flying through the vacuum of space and fighting the Earth's gravitational pull was harder than she thought, but she made it. Engines turned off and pulled back in as her feet pounded the white dust, sadly she didn't get the landing right as her face buried into the ground.

"One small step for man, one giant fail for Signal!" She laughed as she picked herself back up. She examined her crash site, writing 'Signal was here' over her face print in Cybertronian and English. She paused, "What am I doing here again?" She wandered around till she stumbled over the flag. She brushed it off then stuck it back into the ground.

"It is quiet... radio silence... dark of the moon..." she checked on her radio signals, which worked perfectly... "Why was there a radio silence" she asked herself, turning around to the ancient crashed ship. She knew well that it was Cybertronian, but to which side? She rocked back and forth, trying to decide if she should contact the Autobots first then explore the ship with them or vise versa? She decided to explore, they would never had let her go with them, they thought she was dead, and she didn't even know if there was a threat. She followed the steps of Aldrin and Armstrong to the alien ship, neurons snapping in wariness to danger. She didn't get close to the ship when she notice the drag marks next to obvious Cybertronian footprints. Her spine began to make a clicking, rattling noise as she could feel the subtle movements of the Decepticons below. She could feel herself scream as she blasted off toward the Earth, flashing out an encoded help beacon. She didn't even remember the Autobot codes, she didn't remember who the Autobots were, and she didn't remember where she was going. She couldn't help but scream out, she didn't know why but she felt as if she needed to do so.

*Commander Starscream, a young Autobot has uncovered us and is heading to Earth...* Soundwave growled.

Starscream didn't bother to reply as he locked onto the coded beacon, ready to tear the unknown Autobot to shreds before they could reveal their plan.

Signal just flew around, gold armor turned black from the immense heat returning into the atmosphere. She was losing her memory rapidly; she couldn't remember where she was going, let alone her name. Everyone received her scrambled message, unsure as to its origin or meaning. It was in every language known to man and the different dialects of Cybertronian. She knew that she needed to turn off the beacon, but had no idea _how_.

*Lord Megatron, I have found the unknown bot. It is a sparkling... I've never seen this one before...* Starscream reported, following close to the strange flyer.

*Get it to stop sending that signal! If it still lives after that, bring it to me...* Megatron ordered.

*Yes Lord Megatron...*


	2. Starscream the Pigeon Hawk

**Ch. 2: Starscream the Pigeon Hawk**

* * *

Signal turned when she heard someone talking about her. She really wasn't sure if it was her, but she assumed so. She saw a jet fighter behind, Cybertronian symbols were painted on it wings but she could not commit to memory their meaning. She stopped as the jet turned into a fellow robot, about ready to shout a greeting when he actually shot at her. She let out another scream before blasting ahead of her new foe.

* * *

Starscream was shocked when the sparkling turned and stopped for him. For a brief moment he saw the soft blue glow of its iris' as its gold visor lifted. His spark partially twinge at the thought of killing this sparkling, so strong and capable of flying; he easily ignored the feeling as he fired a shot, missing. The sparkling's optics grew wide, visor snapping back down as it let out a sharp shriek before it flew off. Not bothering to transform into its alternate mode.

* * *

She plunged into the cold liquid, hoping her chaser would leave her alone but he dove in behind her. She made sure she didn't go too deep, keeping close to the surface so she could quickly exit and head toward the shore. It was already dark, she didn't know where to hide, and he was relentless. She swooped around trees, keeping very close to the ground while her pursuer kept high above. She really wasn't thinking as straight as she usually might of, reacting only on reflex and instincts; snatching a tree to loop around and head in another direction.

* * *

Starscream grew tired of this, no matter how close he got to this stupid brattling she would be able to steer away in time. Every shot fired missed and some even back fired on him. He knew the brattling was scared, he tried to calm it, but his anger against it was too evident in his voice. It didn't speak back, only letting out small squeaks and shrills as it continued to fly. He knew that he would have to catch her, he really wanted to understand its strange behavior: not changing its help beacon, not calling for other help, not transforming into an alt. form, not even fighting back. Starscream was quite aware of its weapons, but she didn't use them. She was faster than _any_ flyer he has gone against, by closely studying her form, she was more _advance_ and its alt. form looked like it would be of Cybertronian background. This sparkling _wasn't_ an Autobot...

* * *

In the red dawn Signal weaved through the tight canyon, keeping close to any walls or towers. Occasionally the jet behind her would shoot the walls or towers to cause rocks to fall on her, she was quick, but she was losing energy quickly. She never stopped flying, he was always too close, and he didn't seem tired...

* * *

Starscream was glad for his backup energon, worried that is was going to weigh him down, but this chase grew long and it helped him considerably. He could see how starved the sparkling ahead was, as it began to lose pace, he took advantage as the sparkling became in arms reach...

* * *

Pain raked down her back as she turned to see the scary jet robot behind her. Its blood-red eyes looked satisfied before crashing into the wall of an arc. She barely saw as he was swallowed in the collapsing arc-way, rocks pulling him down to the darkness below. She struggled to regain balance eventually crash landing on top a pillar. She studied the florescent blue blood she spilled out, not sure how to heal herself, exerting her to keep moving. She truly felt that it was over, but something drove her to keep running. She crawled off the pillar, fighting her weariness to soar higher into the cover ahead. She wasn't paying attention...

* * *

Starscream barely made it out of the wreckage before it crushed him to the ground, coming out banged up and far more frustrated then before. He soared up above the clouds, scanning the earth below for the inexperience brattling. Starscream caught sight of the sparkling, flight sloppy as it began to lose a large amount of energon and tired of the hunt. He didn't expect her to be up so high, but she probably figured him for dead. He shot a large blast, hitting her right wing tip, the sparkling squealed in more pain as it spiraled out of control to the earth below. He wasted no time to swoop after the spinning sparkling, feet stretching out to snatch the small bot.

* * *

Signal only just regained control before Starscream trapped her, shoving her down to the hard ground preventing her escape. A faint memory of a predatory bird doing that to another species of bird flashed in her head as she screeched, trying to pry herself free. Her arms reverted to her cannons and began to shoot into Starscream's foot. He roared in anger but it was too late for L as she slammed into the ground. Starscream's claws quickly snatched her out of her crater, tossing her again onto the earth. She fought hard to stay awake, trying to shoot at Starscream as he held her underfoot.

* * *

*Lord Megatron. I have captured the sparkling, though it doesn't seem like an Autobot...* Starscream began, baring his teeth at the fighting sparkling under his foot. He bent down to squeeze her arms, destroying her weapons to prevent her from shooting at him more.

*What took so long? Has it stopped sending out that beacon?* Megatron barked.

*Yes Lord Megatron... do you still want me to bring her?* Starscream studied the limp sparkling, its visor and face mask removed themselves for him to study the sparkling's dim blue iris turn white. Her iris' amazed him, an intricate design he never saw before.

*Yes... I want to see this troublesome sparkling...*

*Yes Lord Megatron...*

* * *

L lost it all; vision beginning to blacken, she had no emotions or thoughts. No recollection of what happened let alone what was going on presently. It was a free fall into oblivion, the only thing she had were her body's natural feeling. However, even that began to fail as she blacked out...


	3. The Developing Sparkling

**Ch. 3: The Developing Sparkling**

* * *

Her optics opened. The red ground moved slightly to the breeze that blew over her. She just stared, unsure of this strange place she was in, who she was and what was going on. She then noticed the feeling in her, her wing slightly twitched, antennae rotated to hear and her fingers opened and closed. She pulled her fist near her face, trying to open it to see what she held with difficulty. Then something black scurried by her vision, she thought it disappeared before she felt something near her arm, hearing a soft tinkling sound. She struggled to lift her head, quickly noticing the golden grass stalks and bright blue sky before her head fell again.

* * *

She meticulously worked on her motor skills, finally able to open and close her hands at will, lift her head up, and she even learned how to roll. She began to roll about, optics observing the change of red to blue to red again in a continuous pattern till she hit something. It made a delightful clang sound before soft metallic cries rang out. They cried of hunger, something that she too noticed she shared. She tried to sit up, head feeling heavy as she fell back hard. She began to cry out copying the other cries, rolling herself about to grab someone attention. That was when it appeared, she was on her stomach when she saw the little thing creep by. She copied its movements as best as she could; crawling on her hands and knees, she followed the thing until it was cornered into a tall black tree. Signal lashed out to grab it, it squealed out as it tried to escape. Her face plate snapped over her face, it broke apart to reveal gleaming gold teeth before they snapped at the thing in her hand as she began to eat it.

She loved how it tasted, when she finished she bit the tree, it wasn't as good. So she began to crawl around, eating and tasting everything around her. She enjoyed the grasses, the green leaves on the ground. She noticed that she was naming things, and how it seemed correct. The dirt was horrible, and the tiny bugs held no flavor. She cherished feeling the textures in her mouth, noticing the differences and changes. She then came across the round metallic thing she hit before. The soft cries still emitted and grew louder as she stood up for the first time. Holding tightly to the rim she looked in to see even smaller things like the one she ate before in large supply. She reached her hand in and grabbed a few; they began to nip at her hand but not enough to hurt. She began to eat them, handful after handful till something big stomped over; she lost her balance as she and the metallic barrel tipped over. The little food things began to move around she would stalk and jump at them, chasing them down as she continued to crunch them down.

"Stop! Stop eating the little sparklings you stupid brattling!" Starscream cried out, grabbing the gold seekling. It began to chomp down hard on his claws. He snarled in pain, throwing the sparkling at Soundwave while he caringly scooped up the remaining sparklings and replacing them in the barrel.

"No means to contain prisoner," Soundwave stated, holding out the ravenous seekling in his hand as it nibbled on his finger.

"I don't know what Megatron plans for this little trouble producer. I wish to destroy it now!" Starscream whined as he grabbed Signal by her small shoulder wings.

She let out an audio-receptor splitting scream as she fought to get it to stop. He snatched her foot before she fell, but at that point she somehow activated her weapons and shot at his hand.

Signal slammed into the ground, beginning to remember that the large triangle one was bad. She hissed and screamed out aggressively as she could as she slowly hid behind the other. It didn't care for her, didn't give any threat or comfort; she could live with that. She gave one last hiss and chomped her razor teeth before standing against the others leg. A loose sparkling wiggled by her, she readied to pounce when the protector growled at her. She stopped, looking up to begin more communication with this bigger self.

"No eating sparklings," Soundwave ordered, communicating no emotions. The little gold seekling studied him.

"No," she squeaked as her face plate slid back to its place as she gave a smile.

"Do not resist." Soundwave replied.

"No," she said again, "no, no no no no!" she began to squeal, running about till she fell flat on her face.

"She is a disgrace to the superiority of Seekers," Starscream mumbled as he studied the wobbly seekling.

She got back up, watching as the bad triangle transformed into the plane and fly above her. She squealed as she chased Starscream's shadow, falling occasionally till she began to charge forward on all limbs. At that point Starscream landed in front of her. She continued toward him; face plate snapping over before she jumped up, teeth clamped into his arm. Starscream roared in pain as he struggled to remove her, especially since she would move and continue biting.

"This damn brattling is worse than scraplettes!" Starscream roared out as he finally caught her.

"No," Signal giggled as she clambered around his body being sure not to bite anymore.

"Feed sparkling..." Soundwave suggested, not turning away from his computer.

"With what! We don't have a lot of energon at the moment." Starscream retorted as Signal took a nip at his ankle and ran away. He angrily chased after her until she nearly got ran over by Megatron. "L... Lord Megatron... What an unexpected surprise heh heh..."

Megatron transformed and watched as the gold seekling blended into the grass and began to watch him. "Come here," he clicked at the sparkling as he pointed in front of him.

She looked at where he pointed till she peeped out, "No."

Megatron first looked angered, ready to punish the little brattling till she stood where he demanded. He snapped his head at Starscream, "First word?"

"Yes Lord Megatron," Starscream shriveled then pointing at Soundwave said, "She learned it from him... Argh!"

Signal latched on to his claw, holding on while she continued to chomp down. Megatron delicately removed the little seekling from Starscream's finger then caressingly held her. "She will make a great Decepticon."


	4. How to Create a Hybrid

**Ch. 4: How to Create a Hybrid**

* * *

Megatron held the sleeping seekling close as Starscream gave his report of the chase.

"Yes Lord Megatron, she didn't call for any Autobot help. She really didn't do much of anything except try to escape me."

"She was just running from you? You the 'greatest' and 'fastest' Seeker couldn't catch up to a lost and confused sparkling that wasn't even fighting back? You are a disgrace..."

"Lord Megatron," Starscream tried to hide his anger, "This sparkling is _very _advanced... you can tell her alt. form is some advance stealth ship... do you think that she could be of Autobot decent?"

Megatron studied the half awake seekling in his arm. Her white irises exposed no emotion but a small grin did. She momentarily stretched and yawned out before curling into a different position, allowing Megatron to catch the paint on the back of her shoulders. It was very faded but he also knew what it read. He laughed out loud at the irony.

"Lord Megatron... What is so amusing about this sparkling?" Starscream pressed.

"She is mine," he smiled. He lifted Signal out of his chest to hold her out to Starscream.

"W...What?"

"She is mine... she is the hybrid..." Megatron laughed. Signal's eyes opened to study Starscream in front of her.

"I... I don't understand Lord Megatron..."

"When I was left to rot in the hands of those humans I was able to corrupt one... his name was Gordonvich..." Megatron explained, returning the drained seekling near his spark, "I corrupted him enough to convince him to make me an army... An army of hybrids bound to my will. He believed he was doing a peace work by it, calling it his 'Survival Initiative'. They were to be implanted with some low-grade technology then connected to the Allspark. He told me they all failed before he was arrested for the murder of all those creatures. But look at her, she made it, and so did the others..."

"So... she is part human?" Starscream asked, looking quite disgusted at the hybrid.

"She was, but no longer. The Allspark change her to a full Cybertronian, but was able to create hybrid parts and organs. Soundwave, tell us what our little special hybrid can do..."'

"Lord Megatron, hybrid digestion tract has ability to consume organic materials instead of a dependency on energon. Hybrid has advanced weapons and bodily structure; high possibility to multiple alternate forms..." Soundwave listed. "However, hybrid's memory was deteriorating after human nuclear weapon went off. Hybrid has an impassable, locked memory, but can't access it at this point."

"Thank you Soundwave... Does _that _satisfy your concerns Starscream?" Megatron growled, standing tall over the cowering Starscream who bowed in reply. "Good... now this sparkling is ours to raise in Decepticon ways, to train. She will lead her brethren when the time comes but we will wait. What an adorable little thing you are!" Megatron began to softly coo at his new weapon. She awoke, gleefully trying to catch his claw. He walked over to the barreled sparklings giving them some energon as he showed Signal, "Look at your brethren. You will fight along side them someday against the Autobots..."

"Autobots..." she squeaked, studying her past food source below.

Megatron laughed as he pulled her away giving her some of her own energon. "No my sweet, not them, these are Autobots." He explained, exposing a hologram video of Optimus and the rest of the team charging forward. Signal screeched out in surprise as she leaped onto Megatron's shoulder, hissing and snapping her plate teeth at the hologram before she realized it wasn't a true threat. "Good, good my sweet little sparkling," Megatron praised as he tore her off his shoulder to return her in his arm cradle, "Autobots are bad, and we must destroy them."

Her irises were nearly blotted out by her pupils, giving a deep growl, "_kill_..."

Megatron gave an evil smile, "You are my precious little Decepticon aren't you?"

At that moment one of the tiny med bots attempted to fix Megatron's head, slipping enough to be in claws reach of Signal, who tore the mini-bot into pieces.

"D...Deception..." she softly snarled.

"Decepti-Con," Megatron corrected.

"...Decept...Decepticon..." she whispered, making sure to correct herself.

"Yes! What a good little sparkling you are!" Megatron softly laughed as he gave the little gold seekling a hug.

"Yes!" She repeated, lightly nibbling on his arm.

"No biting," Megatron told, lightly tapping her head. She looked up to him before she gave a small frown. "No biting Decepticons, only Autobots." She gave a smile as she wrapped herself in Megatron's tarp/cape. "Gasp! Where did she go?"

She gave a small giggle before she peeked out, "Here I am."

"Oh thank Primus!" Megatron falsely gasped. Hugging the sparkling a little tighter before handing her to Starscream, "Don't bite..."

She frowned slightly as they studied each other before Starscream spoke for the both of them. "Why am I stuck with her? Why can't Soundwave watch her?"

Megatron quickly rose to meet the challenge, letting out a deep growl before he hissed, "You need to teach her how to transform and fly. You are the Seeker, not me, not Soundwave, and you are going to be her commander; unless you would like to revoke that rank?"

Starscream gave a dry laugh before sniveling, "Of course not Lord Megatron. I will be honored..."

Megatron stared him down before he gave a huff of approval and sat back down.

* * *

Starscream gave another look at his bane. Who carefully grabbed his claw and gave a light smile. Her white iris' did well to hide the discomfort of the situation and drive to bite him. Starscream softly stroked the seekling head before giving her a small ration of his energon. She gleefully took the ration as she pounced from his arm, to shoulder then to the tree above quickly consuming the ration before she stalked toward the empty bird nest near by.

"Come to me seekling," Starscream called to her. She whipped her head back, by then her visor and plated teeth glared down in aggression. "'Listen to me. We must go train you little one."

The gold teeth grinded together as they fought primal urge to fight the triangle, the triangle Starscream. Her claw-like fingers cut deeply in the dead tree as she held on before landing on the ground. She looked up at him with her dead optic stare before growling, "Then we must go train..."


	5. Experience is a Cruel Teacher

**Ch. 5: Experience is a Cruel Teacher**

* * *

Starscream studied the determined femme below him. She was just far enough to where he would have to stretch to step on her, a good idea, but not to Megatron's approval. He wasn't sure where to start training her, whether with transformation or with flying. Both tasks he never trained others to do nor could he remember how he was trained, it was all second nature to him.

"I fly? I change?" The sparkling cut through his thoughts. He was glad her vocabulary was growing, perhaps tapping into that locked memory of hers.

"What can you do?" Starscream asked, hoping that he didn't have to actually teach her any of it. She studied him before she shrugged her shoulders. "Damn-it all!"

She shied away before she stood defiantly and demanded, "Show me Commander!"

Starscream glared down wanted to crush her now but at that point Soundwave was observing. "Fine you little brattling!" Starscream began to transform at a painfully slow pace into his alt. form carefully balancing on his wheels.

The brattling vigilantly watched, examining each part of his body moved before she asked, "I supposed to look like you?"

Starscream forgot that her alt-form was different. He looked at Soundwave, "Do you know her alt. form?"

Soundwave only shrugged his shoulders before he stated, "New one required..."

Starscream growled. Flustered at how difficult it was to train a sparkling to do something that should be second nature. "We will work with transforming later! We fly! We fly now!" He ordered, quickly transforming then blasting up to the sky, thankful that the surrounding area was abandoned. He lowered himself enough to berate the small one, "Fly brattling, fly! You stupid weak brattling, fly!"

The sparkling kept jumping up, but to no avail she could not get her engines to switch on. She clambered up on objects then jumped off, trying everything to get in the air and join Starscream.

Starscream quickly lost patience, "You will have to fly or die!" He quickly snatched the sparkling up and took her up high. "You will have to fly, or you will fall to your death below!" He stated as he held her out, she struggled to fight the cruel fate she tried to dig her claws into his hand but he let go before she could break his armor.

She screeched out, tumbling wildly in the air as she struggled to regain control.

"Feel the air around you!" Starscream drilled gliding circles around her, "Feel it hit your wings!"

She could barely see how his arms were stretched out, how he weaved his body about when he lost balance. The sky and earth began to blend together but she had to try. She snapped her arms out straight, widening her legs but when she saw how close the ground was she squealed and curled in. Hoping the act would protect her enough.

* * *

Starscream couldn't believe what just happened. She looked like she had the idea, at least to regain control, but she then transformed into her alt form; quickly getting into a spiraled fall and gaining speed. She still cried out.

"Get balanced! Get balanced! Feel the air around you!' Starscream instructed, transforming himself in hope she could see. She squealed again as she slightly adjusted herself, hitting into a small flock of birds and lost her control again. Starscream helped her, expertly using his wing to adjust hers. She slightly wobbled before she began to glide herself.

She shifted her rudders, beginning to tenderly glide down to the ground. "Good! Good!" Starscream cried out in joy. The little tasked learned suddenly seemed like she won the whole war. "Okay now, turn on your engines, that way we can actually fly..." Starscream failed to hide his praise. The sparkling slightly wobbled, as if to indicate she was unsure. "Come on now..." Starscream tried to push, "You can do it." She wobbled again, a slight click emitted from her engine ports when she suddenly blasted forward and toward the thickest patch of trees. Starscream struggled to catch up yelling at her to move away from the trees.

She was but a short distance before she tried to transform and land at the same time. Starscream did so as well, believing that he and the sparkling would make it till basic physics popped into his head. She crashed into the thicket, crying out and she tore through the dead foliage. Starscream wasn't too far behind as he felt the trees bend and snap against his fragile wings, rolling over the sparkling who was able to stop against a boulder. They continued out of the thicket, buried deep into the ground before they stopped.

* * *

Starscream tried to fixate his optics after spinning, able to finally focus on the little leakage from the sparkling's own optics. She gave a small sniff as she tried not to cry out in pain before whining, "I... I fly?"

Starscream studied her face to see sadness; he sat up, things snapping back into place as he saw the damage done to his apprentice. She didn't look too bad, scratched up but the main problem was that her left wing was literally torn in half and worse missing as she struggled to keep her lower right arm in its socket. He studied to see that it was still in weapon mode. She caught his optic and repeated her question, slightly snarling at the end to hide her pain. "You were very close, but not quite..." Starscream finally responded, hoping that the sparkling wouldn't begin to cry out and wake Megatron.

The sparkling gave a weak smile before she garbled, "I not die!" He picked her up with greatest care as he searched for the other half of her wing.

"Where is your wing little one?" He asked out loud as he turned over trees and loose boulders.

She giggled before she answered, "In your back. You stole my wing." He struggled to turn his head and see, but then he understood the pain in his back, she did well to distract him from it. He attempted to grab it before he sighed, "Let's go get Soundwave to help us..."

* * *

Megatron awoke to Starscream's voice that urged him to wake. Megatron only awoke to beat the slag out of the second for disturbing him.

"Lord Megatron," Starscream began, quickly to leave the warlord's stretch, "Shockwave has arrived to help in repairs..."

Megatron growled before sitting up, covering his damaged face with the rough tarp when he noticed the silence.

"Where is my sparkling?" Megatron growled, ready to slag Starscream at the news of her extermination.

Starscream was about to reply when she ended up wobbling toward them. Shockwave was able to fix her arm and return it to normal but her wing was still missing. Megatron turned on Starscream, Shockwave tumbled after his escaped patient when he notice her absence and the seekling hugged Megatron's foot before squealing, "Look father! I didn't die!"

The world stopped at the comment, everyone was frozen in place: Megatron's fist barely at Starscream's face, Shockwave slightly bending to pick up his new experiment.

"What do you mean my little one," Megatron was able to ask, carefully picking up the wounded hybrid to cradle in his arm.

"Either I had to fly or die, father," she began, excitement burst from her face, "I didn't quite fly Commander told me... but I didn't die either!" She looked up to Megatron's face to see anger. "Did I do okay father? Are you proud?"

Megatron ignored the gold seekling as he handed her to Shockwave to finish repairs. Starscream knew that he was in trouble, quickly bowing and sputtering for forgiveness.

"Father! Father did Commander tell you?" The seekling shouted, scratching to see over Shockwave's shoulder, "I changed! I transformed! That is good, right father?"

Megatron snapped a partial appraisal glance at Starscream before replying, "Never call me father again sparkling! I am your Lord. I am Lord Megatron!"

The sparkling shrunk before whispering, "Yes Lord Megatron..."


	6. A Lion, Oh My!

**Chapter 6: A Lion, Oh My!**

Starscream admired his apprentice, his little seekling. It didn't take long before she was flying circles around him, landing without fault, hitting every target with terrifying precision, just enhanced at everything. Despite Megatron's attempt to find some reason to release his anger on him the seekling quickly averted Megatron's rage, most of the time on herself. Starscream could see the power in his seekling, but he knowingly knew that the role of a parental, the more dominate one, was taken by Megatron.

The seekling's emotionless optics could not hide her pride in Lord Megatron, the respect. Starscream couldn't understand the relationship, Megatron was brutal, leaving her close to death multiple times in training yet she followed him... called him her father. Starscream had hoped to use Megatron's weapon against him, yet she did not fall to the lust of power.

Starscream found out soon that his little sparkling wasn't a little sparkling anymore. She grew, physically and mentally: surpassing him, surpassing Megatron, yet she stifled her abilities. Starscream saw though, in every action, in every fight, even in her stance she pulsated with unforgivable power. She was as emotionally dead as Soundwave, of quicker cunning than Shockwave, and the malevolent force of Lord Megatron. Starscream gave her style, in flight anyway; quick barrels and hasty take off and landing. She had one aspect that no Decepticon taught her though, and no one really noticed until they saw her second alt. form; a large lion with sharp gold teeth and claws, her 'pelt' was painted black as a reward from Megatron.

Not because she was a lioness of course, in fact, it was reward for her marksmanship Megatron said; how quickly she was excelling in her training. But Starscream knew it was because Megatron would have no bright-colored soldiers like the Autobots. Also, her reflective gold color made her stealth-mode obsolete and useless if the enemy spotted her a mile away. The matte black paint, perfect for any agent of stealth and flight; she disappeared in the night sky.

A lion though! Starscream roared in his head as he tried to understand the second alt. form. Megatron would blame him for the new form; she could have become a better weapon vehicle like a tank, like Blitzwing could. She was still small, reaching up to everyone's knees, or almost everyone's, but in her lion form she was as large as his foot. It was to his surprise when he first saw the second alt form.

* * *

Energon was low in the camp, small rations for everyone except his seekling, she left camp. Starscream swore he would deeply punish her more when he found her, because he was on the line of Megatron's rage. This would have been considered desertion, but Starscream really needed this seekling to shine for him. He told Soundwave that he and the seekling were going scouting, incase this trek took more than a few hours. It took him three days; finally finding her signal in a wild animal game preserve it had no way to hide him, so he had to wait till the cover of night; his worse mistake.

He stumbled to meet her signal in a large clump of fur. The roar from them told him they were lions. He cursed at his seekling telling her that she was in deep trouble, hoping in his processor that she was actually dead. That was when he was shoved over; something bit deeply into his shoulder and began to rip him apart. He was able to push off the strange thing. He could only see a slight glimmer of gold before the mass bit hard into his arm. Claws tearing while teeth held there own, Starscream cried out in the pain and sudden realization as to what the mass was. He shook his arm violently while the lions cheered his seekling on. "NO," he howled, trying to order his seekling, "No biting Decepticons!" He was able to unhinge her jaws as she hit the ground, what small glimmer of natural light Starscream saw the gleam of her blood soaked teeth and claws.

"I starve," his seekling growled as she circled him, "I bite whoever invades my pride's territory. We are superior!" Starscream changed to infrared, watching the seekling closely and able to catch her before she tore his face off.

"You will listen to your commanding officer brattling!" Starscream snapped. Suddenly the writhing mass in his hands froze to his words, before the blank face stared at him directly with no emotions but the grinding teeth told Starscream about the primal anger.

"I command my own, stranger" she growled as she showed her teeth, "but I one Lord whom I serve and he has left me to strive on my own!"

"You listen up brattling!" Starscream roared, furious at her acknowledgement of Megatron's command and not his. He threw her harshly to the ground as he continued, "You have left camp without the orders of Megatron or any other commanding officer! What you have done is considered desertion and treasonous! I, I am taking a great personal dive to bring you back before Lord Megatron finds out about you leaving!"

Starscream thought he had a good eye on her, but when her voice cut out behind him he jumped. "I? I am treasonous?" She cut, her claws dug into his shoulders as she hissed in his other audio receptor, "And you are not, my Commander Starscream? It seems that Lord Megatron does not terminate _you_ despite your many attempts to overthrow him. So why would he terminate _me_? His precious weapon, his perfect little soldier, why?"

Starscream fell silent to her threat, fists clenched tightly to control his emotions, he just lost. Worst of all, it was to his pupil, one with no officer holding, but with Lord Megatron wrapped around her little claw. He could feel her at his wounded shoulder, not realizing that she returned to her primary mode until he felt her fingers fixing him.

"I will return with you Commander," she stated, sounding as if nothing ever happened, "To keep your record spotless and to report in what you discovered while scouting with me. I hope you will put in a good word for me too, we wouldn't want anything bad after all."

"You dare try to blackmail me," Starscream hissed. Attempting to snatch the sparkling but failed. She hovered at his face, staring deep into him with her dead optics before replying, "I've learned from the best." An evil smile cracked her face before she transformed and flew off.

* * *

Starscream realized his star pupil just became his worst enemy, worst then Megatron and just as hungry for power. Who would believe him though?


	7. Sparkling's Crusade

**Chapter 7: Sparkling's Crusade**

"From now on you shall be known as Nightbeacon," Megatron proclaimed, standing tall with arms open for all the camp to hear, even if it was only Starscream and Soundwave to hear. At his feet kneeled the newly named seekling, her head bowed with the deepest of respect as she waited for his order... "Rise Nightbeacon! A true warrior of the Decepticon cause!" She quickly rose, raising a fist in the air as she cried out, "All hail Lord Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons!"

It was then Laserbeak came in, joining in the few cheers to Megatron's name. Starscream faked it but he felt his past pupil mocking him in her smile.

Laserbeak was wary of Nightbeacon after she ate his kin, Buzzsaw. That was when she first arrived, believing Buzzsaw to be an Autobot and playing in the game a little too roughly on empty energon storage. Soundwave was furious at the death of one of his mini-bots, stopped at Starscream's warning of the wrath Megatron would punish at her extermination.

"Nightbeacon, my new warrior, I already have a mission for you; one that I feel fits your expertise now that you are fully trained." Megatron bellowed, partially over energized from too much energon.

Nightbeacon was quickly at her master, waiting for his orders, her wings twitched in anticipation as she stood at attention. "I live to serve you, Lord Megatron."

Megatron ate up her comment, enjoying ever morsel and shooting a quick look at Starscream before continuing, "I want you to travel northwest killing any humans you come across. We need this land to start landing our craft and supplies, and don't need pesky humans alerting the Autobots of our presence before we can continue with our plans."

"I shall do as you command Lord Megatron," she replied as she bowed her head, "Do you have any other orders for me my lord?"

"You must work on your own," he answered, "do not expect help from us; do not try to contact us. You are on your own."

"Yes Lord Megatron," She again bowed.

"Leave now, Nightbeacon!" Megatron ordered. She smoothly transformed into her lion form and pounded out of the camp.

Starscream was shocked slowly approaching lord Megatron and softly whispering, "Lord Megatron... have our plans changed? Why do we need this land?"

Megatron sent off Laserbeak. "Of course not Starscream; everything remains the same. Why?"

Starscream could only point at the direction that Nightbeacon ran, confused as to what was going on.

Megatron looked at where Starscream pointed before he understood. "Aah... do you really think I would let her stay here? She has truly developed a lust for power. I sent her off to be captured by the Autobots, have her keep them busy while we finish our preparations."

"You... You _knew_?" Starscream rasped. He wasn't sure how many more surprises his processor would take before it blew.

"Of course!" Megatron stated standing to meet Starscream's gaze, "And she wasn't working on _your _terms obviously. Did you really think I would believe in a four day scouting trip? Besides, I did actually send her out of camp when we were short on energon. She was capable to live on her own and was taking up our rations as she stayed."

"But to be captured by the Autobots?" Starscream asked. It seemed like a pointless crusade that lost them a good flyer.

"Did you not notice in her melee practices? She had some moves that were like the Autobots and the reports of an advanced human killing our scattered groups, destroying the Insecticons... the Autobots are foolish to take prisoners anyhow."

"She was an Autobot then?"

"The majority of our awoken hybrids were still human, binding to their suits when the time came for them. It's a shame none of them were as strong as her though... I'm assuming that since she was sharing a connection with me she was somewhere in that dam. The Autobots would have been allover her in seconds after she surfaced." Megatron hissed as a hand covered his spark.

Starscream lowered his head. There where about fifty total hybrids, thirty of them were with Nightbeacon but obviously she was the only one who survived and twenty of them at Chernobyl, ten of them survived at first, till the radiation that their suits absorbed destroyed the majority. Only three survive now: Nightbeacon, Thundercracker and Fallout. Blitzwing trained both Thundercracker and Fallout, but they only had single transformations. Thundercracker took a jet form while Fallout took a tank form, both after Blitzwing.

"Lord Megatron, do you think she will be capable to lead her fellow hybrids?" Starscream asked.

"She is more than capable, but her lust for power may cause her to rebel and have a fighting group behind her."

"Lord Megatron _scared_?" Starscream snickered.

Megatron quickly slammed Starscream into the dirt. "Don't forget Starscream, she serves more than a leader of the hybrid group. She has to survive for the rare chance that we don't. Understand?"

Starscream struggled under Megatron's foot, looking into the thick, dark clump of foliage to see a spark of gold. "I understand Lord Megatron..." He rose to try to see the glint of gold again, but the grasses could have created the same affect, he just wasn't sure.

* * *

Nightbeacon slid away after Megatron finished off Starscream's interrogation. The fool gave her the answers, he saw her too probably, but he won't turn her in because he wasn't sure. Nightbeacon headed north, no longer planning to run, she had no actual mission so she would find her brethren and they would be triumphant over all. This planet would be theirs, not humans or Autobots or Decepticons. She met the humans, scared primates, and they foolishly tried to kill her. They killed some of her pride, and when they killed one she found them and ate them. She would continue, she would eat all her enemies.

* * *

****Author's Note****

**I forgot to mention that when Nightbeacon/Signal is in her lion form her thinking is based more of primal thoughts like the Dinobots. Always your questions, comments and virtual slaps to the face are appreciated! :D They keep me motivated.  
**


	8. L is for Lion

**Chapter 8: L is for Lion**

It had been a year after L left, but three months later a strange signal was broadcast all over the world. Ratchet felt that it could possibly be Signal; maybe it was just a hopeful wish, to finally get rid of the guilt he burdened about not being able to help her in the end... Ratchet spent much of his free time trying to decode the transmission, but it just seemed to be more like a jumbled mess. When it was still broadcasting they were able to track it to somewhere near the African continent before it cut off.

*Ratchet... Have you seen the news?* Optimus radioed, slight worry tinted the leader's voice.

*No I haven't. Give me a moment...*

Ratchet used the human's networks as he read many new stories till he hit one. _Large Rise in Lion Attacks in African Wildlife Preserve!_ Reading the short article any witnesses left surviving claim that there was a large, black _metallic_ lion leading the others to attack tourist convoys and nearby villages. Researchers have been tracking the pride's movement heading north.

*Prime... do you think it could be Signal?* Ratchet asked hoping for some good news.

Prime sighed on the other end; he was tired of Ratchet's persistence in Signal's existence. Ratchet said himself that no one could survive all of that. *Ratchet... I understand you're longing for Signal to still be alive but you must understand that she has moved on and has joined the Allspark. I believe that we might have mistaken Howlback to be Ravage and really Ravage is attacking all those people.*

Ratchet lowered his head as he listened to his leader give up on Signal. Prime was most likely right about the misidentification but it just didn't seem right. Then it hit him

*Prime, perhaps I could take a small team to investigate. I can get peace by identifying the attacker and we can stop the threat. I doubt we need the _whole_ team and we are stretched pretty thin as it is...*

*Alright Ratchet. Please be careful, don't let personal feelings get in the way of this mission...* Optimus replied after thinking it over.

*Yes Prime*

* * *

"Ratchet," one of the NEST humans whined, "Why do we have to go on a safari in the dark?"

"Yeah!" Another joined; the adrenaline of fear was a thick stench in Ratchet's olfactory sensors. "Haven't you ever seen that movie _Ghost and the Darkness_?"

"Shut up man I don't want to think of that at all!" Someone snapped.

"All of you be quiet now!" Ratchet hissed. He tried every visual spectrum he had, only seeing small rodents or herds of animals. He could understand the humans fear, the grasses were over their heads and grew thickly. They depended on him to guide them. Suddenly a scream was heard in the distance, a distant light quickly went out as a deep growl ensued.

"R-Ratchet... what was that?" Someone whimpered. They squatted in the grass, except for Ratchet who was in a laying prone position. Ratchet couldn't see anything through the grass, but he could hear something approaching and fast.

*Everyone,* he whispered softly over the com. *You have thirty meters to run to get out of the tall grass. Something is approaching us and...*

They all quickly ran back, whenever someone tripped they would scream thinking that they were dead before getting back up to run. They began to scatter as they got lost in the tall grasses, Ratchet looked behind to see something cut through, but he could barely see the draining temperature of a human corpse. Behind him another man cried out, that caused the singular hunter to stop, then to leave the body it had and continue toward the cry.

*Ratchet, we all are out, what do you see?* A man responded, trying to sound confident and calm for the others but they all were scared.

*What we are hunting. Tell the men to be quiet, so far its using audio information to find you...* Ratchet responded. He didn't see the grass moving anymore, he tried to understand how something as large as Ravage could barely cause the grass to move. The wind that picked up didn't help as it swept the thick grasses around like a stormy sea. Ratchet slowly crept back toward the humans, using his thermal to see the small group huddled into a close circle. Somehow it reminded him about the elephants protecting their young from predators, but in a situation like this it worked.

"Ratchet," someone carefully hissed, "What do we do now? Can you still see it?"

Ratchet didn't want to answer that he lost it in the first place and that he really didn't realize what he was into, what he brought them into.

"We have to stay here and hold our ground. If we try to evacuate we leave ourselves vulnerable. Running scared won't help us now..." Ratchet answered, trying to sound confident as he tracked his sensors, there was a small blip of activity until something hit the ground behind him. The humans' faces turned a sickly white as one pointed behind, throats tightened as they struggled to speak.

Ratchet slowly turned, readying his weapon when he saw a pair of horrifying white optics staring back at him, they were Signal's, no doubt.

"It landed!" a man screamed out, "It was _flying_! And it changed!"

That outburst was enough to cause Signal to charge out, a deep bloodthirsty growl emitted from her. She wasn't a lion at first, she looked like a seekling but she quickly changed to her lion form before Ratchet could get a good look.

"L!" Ratchet cried, hoping to get through to her, "L its Ratchet!"

She didn't flinch, didn't even recognize her name.

"Signal!" Ratchet tried. Again she ignored the name. She was only 20 feet away and about to pounce on the men when Ratchet remembered, "SIGNA-L!"

In response her body stiffened, transformed back into her seekling form, crashed into the ground and barely stopped in time before careening into the group. Everyone stared, unsure if it was some ruse and she was going to rip them to shreds if they moved. Ratchet finally walked over and picked L's limp body up and began to head back to the base camp. The men were quick to follow but kept distant, still in shock from the experience. These men were fairly new but they have heard stories of L, how she gave it her all in everything and how she was supposed to be blown up into a million pieces in the middle of Antarctica.

"Ratchet..." one man piped up, the group gasped when he spoke but they all wanted to know. "Ratchet... is that really Signal? Everyone said that she was dead..."

Ratchet studied the seekling in his arms, the faint moonlight accented all the blood on her, even on the black paint it glowed with sickly color. 'How could L just go out and kill so many people without second thought? Why didn't she recognize me? My voice? Her own name?' Ratchet silently thought. 'How am I going to explain to Optimus that it was really L who was killing? How long was L alive for before all of this?'

"Ratchet, is that Signal?" Someone repeated, they really wanted to know. Ratchet held out the gold-tipped seekling in front of him. Ratchet wanted this seekling to be Signal, but he just wasn't sure anymore...


	9. Resurrection

**Chapter 9: Resurrection**

"Prime!" Ratchet called, "She's awake!" The video footage showed her various parts twitching as if she was just getting use to them, her antennae rotating about while wings folded in and out. She rolled herself to her hands and knees but didn't move any further than that. Optimus came over; watching carefully to Signal's movements.

Optimus Prime found it hard to believe that this seekling was truly Signal; maybe he didn't want her to be. He never understood or got over the fact that she always called him her dad. Optimus never thought of sparklings or even having one to raise, war took over his life before the idea could ever build up. He heard stories from Autobots though, how the first bonding experience is like fighting Unicron depending on the sparkling. With L's beginning experience of killing everything on sight Prime began to prefer Unicron.

"Prime, you ready for this?" Ironhide asked as he walked over. The weapon's master never seemed to miss a thing, even to the finest detail. Without waiting for Prime's response he continued, "You were the first she trusted before; I doubt there will be any difference."

Optimus took a large breath before grabbing the energon ration. He was about to go in when a loud thump came from the enclosure. The Autobots quickly looked at the turmoil inside. L was digging at the floor, clawing the walls, flying up before crashing into the ceiling. She soon began to scream and cry as she continued her escape efforts it wasn't long till she began to leak an assortment of vital fluids. "Prime, you have to calm her down! She doesn't know what is going on or where she is!" Ratchet demanded, not only was he worried about L, but how long the enclosure was going to remain enclosed. Who knows what sort of hell she would wreak if she got out. She quickly began to dispatch the cameras, tearing and chewing at them before going on to something else.

Prime ran to the entrance, hesitating before asking, "How close is she to the door?"

"She's right at it, she hears you. Give me a moment," Ratchet answered as he typed in a few codes, the only working camera showed L chasing a laser that lead her away from the door. "Prime! Get in there now!"

* * *

It was miraculous, like nothing in this room existed except for him and Signal. He could only hear the last existing sound of her crashing down to the floor. Ratchet and Ironhide witnessed as she quickly traced the laser source, flying up to it and by quickly flipping tear the laser pointer right off and smash it to the floor.

Prime slowly turned to see her eyes and couldn't help but gasp. This was the first time he actually saw her eyes, and there was no longer any doubt to her identity. They were a deep red as they studied him. A golden faceplate covered half her face, to break the silence the faceplate broke apart to reveal sharp teeth and equal hiss. However terrifying her actions were Optimus did notice her eyes soften to a lavender color, as if curious.

*You need to show her that you mean no harm Prime,* Ratchet whispered, *Just like last time, the first time...*

"Sparkling… I am no threat… It's okay now… You're safe…" Optimus Prime cooed in Cybertronian, expressing as much calmness as he could. He watched as L jolted, her wings twitched frantically and spine tingled as she slowly stood as tall as she could. Anxiety and mistrust filled her red optics as she drew weapons and fluffed her armor. Optimus was careful not to reach out for her, instead continued to be relaxed and coo at her to keep her calm. She began to hiss and scream as she tried to hide herself in the furthest corner, when she realized that she was still trapped she tried to bluff by blasting close to him then backing off screaming as loud as she could.

*Prime,* Ironhide cut in as the sparkling began to fire warning shots, *Sit down, it's hard for her to relax when you're towering over her!*

Ironhide helped raise a few sparklings where he lived before the war, he sometimes spoke about having one of his own but the war destroyed any opportunity of doing so. Ratchet helped parental units complete a full bond with sparklings; it takes a long time for a full bond to be made and it was common complaint about sparklings with sudden and wild behavior because the bond wasn't complete. Optimus was glad to have their help.

He slowly sat down, keeping his hands slightly raised and out to show he truly meant no harm. Signal soberly watched him for hours before she began to get hungry and tired. Optimus was good about talking at her constantly or to make little noises and things. She would glare at him with each sound; she was beginning to relax more and sometimes copied the noise he made. When she began to wear out though Prime knew this was his chance.

"Come here little one. I have food. I won't hurt you" he softly sang as he showed the energon ration. Signal's optics burned brightly as she studied the ration, grabbing a piece of metal and chew on it. "That won't help your hunger," He continued, placing the ration on the floor then pulling his hands in. She glared at him as she took one more bite to convince otherwise, failing. "Come on now sparkling, you are safe..." She slowly crept toward the ration, body as close to the floor as she could get it while shooting quick glances at Prime to make sure he wasn't doing anything. She sniffed at the ration before she copied Optimus' posture and picked up the ration. She quickly wolfed it down before running back to her corner hissing and growling at Prime.

*You are doing great Prime,* Ratchet cheered, *She might still be hungry. Offer some of yours... also address her with her name*

Optimus pulled out a bit of his and called at her, "Signal come and have some more." Again she jolted and she looked shocked, before calming and studiously examined him. She seemed to accept the fact to her name but she acted as if she was waiting for an introduction.

*Why does she seem to want an introduction? Or am I just seeing things?* Prime sent the encoded message to his mentors outside.

After a few minutes Ironhide answered, *I would suggest the introduction. If you are going to continue to address her with a name she is going to have to address you with something besides cries and hisses. It might also help with her memory, we have to give it in slow chunks to prevent something like last time.*

Optimus took the advice. The inquisitive seekling sat opposite of him, copying him like an introverted mirror. "Are you still hungry Signal? I have more energon for you here if you are." She tilted her head as she remained silent, her faceplate that removed itself long ago, made slight showing of hungry teeth before hiding again. "I am Optimus Prime," he continued as he pointed at himself, "I help and care for many things. Protect them and keep them safe. I will never bring you harm Signal. Please come here..." Optimus showed some of the energon and kept it at her level to walk to.

She looked sore as she stood up, about to walk over before her body shuddered and through sorrowful blue eyes she softly sang, "Primes are guardians of peace, but all fought in wars. Not all are good, not all are mean, but fought each other wanting so much more. An optimist seeking peace with one who wanted more: the optimist, a Prime born in war, not in peace, not a guardian but warrior. Ori..." She suddenly stopped her poem, her eyes brightened in youthful glow as she crept toward Optimus, no longer scared or curious but trusting and kind. She graciously took a small portion of the energon before curling close to the Prime's spark to nibble on the scrap and be lulled to a state of recharge.

* * *

*... Is that normal?* Prime finally asked as he broke through his shock. How did she know? About to say a name his hasn't heard in more than millennia! Her whole composure changed after that moment, not some wild beast but a calm Cybertronian seekling.

*No,* both Ironhide and Ratchet answered. Ironhide continued to explain, *But Signal isn't your typical seekling either. She began as a grown human, bonded to the Allspark before she became the hybrid that she is. She isn't fully Cybertronian, so maybe this bonded has something with her memory returning or how humans bond. I'll ask Lennox about it when he comes back.*

*Are we actually bonded?* Optimus asked. Looking down at the tranquil seekling that made home in his arms, almost trying to climb in between his armor to be as close as possible.

*It takes a while Prime, but you have made miraculous progress in such short time. As long as she is still asleep and no humans are around you two can come out now.* Ratchet answered.

*Yes Ratchet, thank you,* Prime replied holding in his feeling of pure joy to get out of that small box. The walls spread out to release the two of them, L stirred but only to get in a more comfortable position after Prime stood up.

Ironhide ran up to actually see Signal for the first time. "Awe, look at her. That form almost fits her perfectly..."

Ratchet softly laughed, "The murderous lion or the stealth scout ship?"

Ironhide cooed as he stroked her wings and back delicately, "Both. Primal force and civilized finesse. Good thing the Decepticons never got a hold of her!"

Her audio receptors clicked about as they listened.

"Signal," Prime whispered, pulling her away to hold her out and get a good look at her.

She made a noise something of a cough before crackling, "P... Prime?"

"I knew it! Oh Signal!" Ratchet cried out as she opened her optics. She barely saw Prime before Ratchet snatched her and crushed her in a hug. "We missed you so!"

She fought out of his grip and fell to the floor. She struggled to focus on them, "W-what? Ratchet? Ironhide?... Are we all dead now?"

"You wish!" Ironhide laughed, "No you made it L! You survived!"

She struggled to stand up, looking at her body then to Ratchet who helped her stand. "I... I did... but... you didn't come get me in Antarctica... How?"

The three officers remained quiet, unsure how to really answer her.

"The message? ... but" she grasped her head, she just couldn't remember. "Did I send one? ... I had to tell you something didn't I?" She studied them for the answers but they thought it was all gibberish. "It was really important, I swear! I'm not lying! I... I just... You believe me right?"

Prime bent a knee and gave her a tight hug, *I lost faith in you...* he whispered, *That you were still alive. But I was wrong. I missed you...*

He let go and quietly stood back up. She studied them all carefully, "Boy, you guys act like I've been gone for a long time. It's only been three days or something right?"

The officers looked to each other but they all knew, her memory loss was bad, and perhaps with a daily dose of the Matrix... maybe, possibly she would recover.


	10. Lennox for Lunch

**Chapter 10: Lennox for Lunch**

L spent most of her time in Ratchet's area, but between all of the officers, they rotated watches until it was decided that she could come out. She didn't seem to revert to any primitive thinking, even in Ironhide's light battle training.

"So," she began as she studied the door. "I actually been MIA for a year; meaning that you guys were finally able to move to the D.C. NEST headquarters. Galloway is no longer the political supervisor but some woman who is just as annoying in a more... Anyway, Epps is down in Florida with the Wreckers just like he wanted and Lennox... umm..."

"He is actually here right now," Ironhide intervened, "You guys can catch up together especially since he is taking you out to lunch."

"Out to lunch?" Signal questioned, finding it hard that in a year the Autobots were allowed to walk about freely.

"Well," Ironhide caught on, "He has your energon ration anyway, maybe some other food for you too."

She felt weird, but shook the feeling off. "I guess I'm ready... they aren't going to shoot at me right?"

"No, just a lot of desk workers in this area, after all, we still need to get your memory recovered better before we train you some more..."

"Doctor's orders" they said together. Ironhide activated the door; it creaked as it slowly began to open. L felt the feeling return, primal fear. She backed up against Ironhide as the door continued to screech out in effort.

"You alright L?" he asked when she was pushing back on his leg. His only response was her hiding behind his leg before she transformed and growled. "Oh no L! No wait!" She let out a terrifying roar as she charged under the door, it was still too low for Ironhide to get out and she barely missed his grasp when he tried to catch her. *Lennox! Watch out! L is in her lion form! I couldn't stop her* Ironhide com-linked. He could only hear human cries and mechanical howls and snarls.

* * *

*What was that 'Hide?* Lennox asked. He was walking toward them just one more door to walk through before he was supposed to meet with L. After the incident he couldn't believe that she was actually alive, let alone killing innocent people in Africa. The Autobots explained that she lost her memory and somehow ended up in the care of lions.

*L, I couldn't stop her! She is going to kill those people! You have to stop her!* Ironhide yelled over the com-link. *L! Stop, you're better then that, stop!*

At that point Lennox could hear Ironhide yelling at L. He could hear her and as he opened the door he realized his mistake. He may as well have covered himself with BBQ sauce while offering a side helping of energon. He saw that Signal rounded all the people up in a corner; Ironhide was able to crawl half way under the door before he ended up getting caught and jamming the thing. The door slowly slammed behind Lennox, which was enough to catch Signal's attention.

"Damn..." was all Lennox could say as he watched her charge toward him. Her claws began to create sparks as she gained speed. Lennox thought he heard all the terrifying sounds that could be heard but her roar was just added as a new member on his list. He couldn't see her eyes, but he was too distracted as the faceplate broke apart to create sharp teeth. He wished that he wouldn't go in the claws of his friend killing him; he wanted to see his daughter grow up. He closed his eyes and saw her actually growing up without him. Sarah was old and worn out with grief and sadness of his loss.

"... Lennox" a deep voice breathed.

Lennox open his eyes to see L's teeth right at his face, her 'breath' truly felt hot and sticky as it hit his face. She backed up a step to sit and bend down to his level, looking him in the eye as she said his name again, only to end it in a frustrated growl, "Lennox?"

Lennox choked down his heart as he shuddered, "L..."

With that a visor revealed her mischievous optics as she said, "Boy, you were just as afraid as me!" She gave a creepy smile with her teeth before she transformed. "I'm sorry to all you people over there, did I hurt anyone?" She asked as she noticed the quivering group in the corner. They didn't answer as they hugged the wall and escaped out the nearest door. "What happened to you 'Hide?" she called as he struggled to escape from the door.

"You fraggin' scared me that's what!" Ironhide cursed as he was about to shoot at the door. Signal was quickly over to lift the door the rest of the way to prevent anymore damage.

"I'm sorry Ironhide," she whispered, looking at her feet as 'Hide stood up. "I... I just felt scared... I felt trapped suddenly... red optics..." she mumbled.

Ironhide looked over, then over a private com said, *Just inform us next time. We feel that in your lion form you will lose control.*

"I got NEST in a lot of trouble didn't I? And that bitch lady is coming huh?" She continued.

Lennox had to hold in his laughter, both to relieve his shock and the blunt comment was too much. Ironhide's face to the remark was just hilarious, like a parent whose child screamed a curse word out in public and everyone heard: a face of pure embarrassment. "Umm," Lennox answered, "Well most likely... no you did but not because of this. You didn't really wake up on the right side of the bed ya know?"

She hid her optics as she remembered what they all told her. "Yeah... Hey, do I smell barbeque sauce?"

* * *

Lennox led Signal throughout the new base. Ironhide followed, caring for her when she became overwhelmed. "Hey Lennox," she began.

"Hey what?" Lennox replied, having to remember that L was somewhat like a child in understanding.

"What's this?" She asked. The two caregivers didn't notice that she stopped and was looking at the mysterious beacon that was recovered a little more than a year ago. Ratchet was the only one who would vocationally spend time trying to solve it, but even then the code was pushed into a corner.

"It's just a bunch of gibberish, Signal. We thought it was a Decepticon code but it hasn't revealed anything to prove so." Ironhide answered.

"Oh..." she whispered, reading over the long sequence, noticing how it would change languages. "It just seemed interesting that's all. Maybe I could try to get something out of it since I'm not supposed to do much anyway."

"We'll see. You have to have your naps and your studies too ya know. Come on, Lennox has a special surprise for you!" Ironhide warned.

L was quickly a Lennox. "What is the surprise?"

"I can't tell you remember?" Lennox answered as he continued walking. He was surprised at how agile L was. He figured that she was going to fall on him or smack him accidently with one of her wings but she was able to jump over him like it was nothing.

"Am I going to be able to go fly?" She pressed. She stood in front to show her wings flapping a bit. "It'll be good to stretch these ol' wings."

"Signal!" Ironhide snapped, "We told you that you need to take another form first!"

"That could have been the surprise Ironhide!" she gasped. She slumped forward in disappointment and failure. She waited for the two to pass before following suit before she began to fly up to the support beams above, quietly flying above the two as she began to grow impatient.

"Okay L," Lennox called, "Come on down!" Ironhide lifted the hanger door so it would quickly rise as to not scare her went she glided down.

"I'm surprised that the beams could support me." She said to Lennox, pretending to pat on a fat belly.

"Eh, you're all solid weight Signal." Ironhide stated as he scuffed her head. "But just incase you probably should keep that to a minimum, got it?"

She bowed her head and lightly kicked at a littered can then muttered, "Why did we have to leave Diego Garcia?"

Lennox gave a supportive smirk as he pointed into the room. Signal looked in and began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Lennox asked, beginning to feel insulted.

The surprise was a full assortment of food all around the world, except for any meat; it was really a way to study Signal's ability to turn food into an energy source related to energon.

"You're trying to turn me into a vegan! Who on Earth or Cybertron has ever heard of a vegan lion!" She cried out in laughter. She examined her feast and finally noticed Ratchet in the corner with an assortment of scientific tools. Signal recognized them and didn't like it.

"Surprise!" He grunted, an evil smirk flashed on his face.

Signal gave a small growl, "Indeed... I always hated being the science experiment..."

"Indeed brattling, so do I," Ratchet stated.

"Always too difficult for ya you old grump?" She smiled.

Ratchet nodded as he continued, "But we have to do this, I at least need to understand how you function."

L's eye suddenly turned red as she smelled the air. Her head and teeth immediately snapped in Lennox's direction, he held a slab of bbq pork ribs covered with bacon. Without another word she transformed into a lion and charged at her next meal. Lennox remained still, Signal talking to him the whole entire over the com link. She was able to slide around him, acting like an excited dog for a treat.

"L, you need to be a _civilized_ lion." Lennox ordered, pulling back the true surprise. She immediately sat, pretending to groom her fur before sitting at attention. "This was my actual surprise. But everyone said you would act violently and revert to primitive thoughts. Will you stay focused like you did? Without going primitive on us?"

She stood and putting her face right into Lennox's said, "I swear to not eat anyone else, or kill them for the sport..." Lennox purposefully threw a handful of bacon away from him. "That was cruel, why would you treat bacon in such a way? So uncivilized! But I again swear not to kill, eat, injure or lose control of my special gifts to those of Earthly decent or bear an Autobot symbol... May I eat now?"

"If you transform," Lennox said.

She didn't, sitting back to scratch behind her audio receptor with a hind leg.

"...Well?" Ironhide lightly growled.

She looked at them as if they were stupid, "I can only eat in this form... well the earth food anyway..."

"Are you sure?" Ironhide pressed. He wanted to keep her from depending more on her lion form and focus more on her primary and secondary.

"Why would I deprive myself of delicious meats if I wasn't?" She asked as she 'licked' her teeth. "Is this going to be a serious problem?"

"I never studied to be a veterinarian..." Ratchet stated from his corner. The small group laughed before L gave Lennox a ride to the feast.

* * *

*Hey you know L, I never thought I would feed and ride a large mechanized lion.* Lennox rubbed in, throwing a rib in her mouth.

*Take a picture. This will be the one and only time.* She growled as she chomped down the bone.

*What if I promise to bring more meat?* Lennox bribed.

*What if I ate you for toying with my primitive instincts?*

*... You win* Lennox said as he jumped off to offer the rest of the meat.

*We both win. We all get to eat our fill without killing for it* Signal corrected as she carefully devoured the rib slab in Lennox's hands.

* * *

_**OM NOM NOM NOM! :D**_


End file.
